[ad_1]
Breaking down the top five moments in Suns guard Devin Booker’s season.
Wochit
1 of 26
Jay Dieffenbach and Dan Bickley disagree on the NBA MVP and share their thoughts on the D-Backs’ hot start.
2 of 26
Phoenix Suns’ Dragan Bender talks about the team’s win over the Dallas Mavericks in the last home game of the season, April 9, 2017. (Doug Haller/azcentral sports)
3 of 26
Suns guard Devin Booker on why the Suns didn’t want Russell Westbrook to get a triple-double on their home floor.
4 of 26
Thunder guard Russell Westbrook entered Phoenix on pace to average a triple-double for the season.
5 of 26
Warriors star Stephen Curry talks about Wednesday’s win over the Suns.
6 of 26
USA TODAY Sports’ Sam Amick discusses the struggles plaguing the defending champions.
USA TODAY Sports
7 of 26
Suns guard Devin Booker discusses earning respect from officials and his early aggressiveness in a loss to the Clippers on Thursday at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Doug Haller/azcentral sports
8 of 26
The arguments for and against Rockets star James Harden winning the MVP award.
USA TODAY Sports
9 of 26
Ball and Fultz are two of the top prospects for the 2017 NBA draft.
USA TODAY Sports
10 of 26
Suns forward Jared Dudley discusses the Suns’ winless road trip after a loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. Doug Haller/azcentral sports
11 of 26
A look at how far NBA players once made it in the NCAA tournament.
USA TODAY Sports
12 of 26
In the latest NBA Power Rankings, the Warriors are rolling, even without Kevin Durant. Meantime, the Clippers are struggling at the wrong time and the Nets are playing their best hoops of the season.
Time_Sports
13 of 26
Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker talks about his team’s loss against the Charlotte Hornets, March 26, 2017. (Doug Haller/azcentral sports)
14 of 26
Suns guard Devin Booker discusses his 70-point game against the Boston Celtics.
15 of 26
Suns coach Earl Watson discusses his team’s shortage of players and how that is starting to weigh on them after Thursday’s loss to the Nets in Brooklyn. Doug Haller/azcentral sports
16 of 26
Suns forward Jared Dudley discusses recent team injuries and how that impacts a team resting a few star players, following Tuesday’s loss to the Miami Heat. Doug Haller/azcentral sports
17 of 26
Dan Bickley and Mark Faller discuss the Indiana job opening, which could pull Steve Alford away from UCLA, and whether the Bruins would pursue Suns’ head coach Earl Watson. Video: azcentral sports
18 of 26
NBA players who have tallied the most points, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals in a single game this season.
USA TODAY Sports
19 of 26
In this week’s NBA Power Rankings, Russell Westbrook is leading the Thunder to a strong finish in the regular season.
Time_Sports
20 of 26
Suns point guard Tyler Ulis reacts to Friday’s home loss to the Magic.
21 of 26
Kent Somers and Jay Dieffenbach discuss the Suns’ decision to shut down Eric Bledsoe for the season and the possibility of them getting UCLA’s Lonzo Ball? Video: azcentral sports
22 of 26
USA TODAY Sports’ Sam Amick tells us why the Spurs will be hard-pressed to secure the top seed in the Western Conference.
USA TODAY Sports
23 of 26
HoopsHype writer Alex Kennedy discusses some of the players who will be free agents this summer.
USA TODAY Sports
24 of 26
Phoenix Suns center Alan Williams watches his mother, Jeri Williams, sworn in as Phoenix police chief in Chesapeake Energy Arena. (Paul Coro/azcentral sports)
25 of 26
Hosted by head coach Earl Watson, who says the Suns “embrace and celebrate our youth.” Video: Phoenix Suns
26 of 26
Top 5 Devin Booker moments of 2016-17 season
Shot Clock: NBA MVP and surprising D-Backs
Dragan Bender on Suns win over Mavericks
Booker on Westbrook’s triple-double search: ‘Just didn’t want it to be here’
Russell Westbrook chases history
Stephen Curry on win over Suns
Cavaliers are struggling in a major way
Devin Booker on Suns loss to Clippers
James Harden for MVP: Pros and Cons
Lonzo Ball vs. Markelle Fultz: Tale of the tape
Jared Dudley on Suns loss to Hawks
How far NBA players made it in NCAA tournament
NBA Power Rankings: Warriors surging ahead of playoffs
Devin Booker on Suns’ fall to Hornets
Devin Booker on his 70-point night
Earl Watson after Suns’ loss to Nets
Jared Dudley on Suns’ loss to Heat
Shot Clock: Would Earl Watson leave the Suns if the UCLA job were to open up?
NBA’s best statistical performances so far in 2016-17
NBA Power Rankings: Russell Westbrook continues to carry Thunder
Tyler Ulis on Suns’ loss to Magic
Shot Clock: Eric Bledsoe is out, maybe UCLA’s Lonzo Ball is in?
Why the Spurs desperately need the No. 1 seed
Big-name free agents this summer
Alan Williams watching his mother’s police chief ceremony
Suns ’embrace youth’ in WeArePHX ‘Momentum’ video
SACRAMENTO – Coach Earl Watson’s plan before Tuesday’s final game of the regular season: “Stay healthy, have fun and have some closure to our season.”
The Suns accomplished as much at the Golden 1 Center, losing to the Sacramento Kings 129-104 on a night when lottery ping pong balls were the bigger priority.
In finishing 24-58, the Suns locked up the NBA’s second-worst record, which could help them in the May 16 draft lottery. They’ll have a 55.8 percent chance to land a top-three pick and a 19.9 percent chance to land the top overall selection.
BOX SCORE: Kings 129, Suns 104
They also wrapped up the third-worst record in franchise history. Last year’s team lost 59 games, while the 1968-69 outfit dropped 66. Odds are, most of the fan base doesn’t care about this. Since the Suns fell out of playoff contention before the All-Star break, most turned their attention toward draft position.
“We understand it was the last game of the season,” Suns rookie point guard Tyler Ulis said. “Regardless, when you step on the floor you have to be ready. We were trying to get the win but we fell short.”
The Suns held out leading scorer Devin Booker against the Kings. Veteran forward Jared Dudley also didn’t play. Phoenix trailed 58-39 at halftime and didn’t challenge the rest of the way. Ulis had 27 points and six assists. Playing in his hometown, rookie forward Marquese Chriss added 22 points and seven rebounds. The Suns never led.
RELATED:Top 5 Devin Booker moments in 2016-17 season
“I think I exceeded a lot of people’s expectations,” Chriss said of his rookie season. “I’m just going to keep trying to prove people wrong and getting better.”
Sacramento (32-49) also isn’t going to the postseason, but the Kings played their final game at home. To celebrate, guard Ty Lawson had his first career triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. The Kings wrap up the regular season Wednesday at the Los Angeles Clippers. On the same day, the Suns will have exit interviews.
“No player likes exit interviews,” Watson said. “You just want to get through those as a player and just get on moving, so it will be short for me. Nothing much you can say. We’ve been around each other all year. I’ve said everything I could say, just stay in touch and see you soon in a couple weeks.”
MORE:Suns GM McDonough: Keep building through draft
Contact Doug Haller at 602-444-4949 or at [email protected]. Follow him at Twitter.com/DougHaller.
[ad_2]
Source link